The Labor enquirer., 1887-01-22
A Socialistic Conference mol
Advisable at Present It's
Cost Too Great.
The Results Would not Justify
the Outlay "A Better
Plan Suggested.
Lot the Hen Of Brains Set = Work
On tho Best Plan y Uaits the
DiRsreat Schools.
FOR The Eneuirer.

For The Enquirer.
Iobserve that Tn EsourRER il In
vitine discussion Il to the advissbility
Of holding conference of Socialists. Il
venture to submit an op' 'nion that the
holding Of conference though doubt
less ultimately desirable is not 1t pre-
ent possible. because 50
a. We are scattered over an i'm.
mense area, and We are very poor. "A
conference would be attended with great
expense. and. even II the funds were
contributed, many Of those whose pres
snce would be most desirable could not
attend. ~
(2.) We are At present split up into
q variety Of schools the members Of
which range themselves under certain
teachers whose "dictA" they swear BY.
This is inevitable because Socialists are
human beings. and - such have inner.
tied tendency to be led by the nose BY
some individual or another. heredity
being one Of those deplorable facts that
cannot be explained away.
(S) This being 90, there is no auaran.
tee that the conference will result in
anything more than . wordy war Of glib
tongued leaders, and an accsntuation Of
the existing sectarlan differences. =, Z
a. To be in any way representative,
some 500 delegates would have 10 be
present, and the average expense to
each delegate would be so probably
double that amount possible treble.
(5) Five thousand dollars il an enor-
nous sum If properly laid out.
IsuRgest therefore: (s) That we de-
eide to hold conference, and for that
purpose accumulate 5000 It least. (b)
That We then decide not to hold 4 con.
ference, and that we devote the money
toward ascertaining exactly what It is
that the different schools want. and how
thev propose to get what they want.
This is all that the most successful CON.
ference could possibly accomplish, and.
YOU know. it might not be successful.
For the administration Of this admir-.
able sum, I would suggest the following
plan. Segregate the schools of Social
Ism in this country. and they may. l
believe, be divided into four:
(l.) The Conservative State Socialists.
who 60 in for naturalization Of rail-
roads. ETC., as stepping stones.
(2.) The so-called State Socialists who
follow Laurence Gronlund. and who are
In reality most radical .Revolutionists,
with. however. some lingering CONT
dence in the ballot.
(3.) The Anarchists Of the Chicago
Alarm and Peter Krapotkine stripe.
No The Anarchists Of the Boston
Liberty stripe. ri
Offer each school Q prize Of $50 for
the essay that sets out best its particu-
lar aims, and how 1t expects 10 realize
than. Thep offer two prizes, one Of $500
and one of$l0O. for the tgo essays that
best illustrate the points Of contact and
divergence Of the different schools, and
how they can be united on . common
platform.
The advantages ofthis plan are, in the
inventors opinion, obvious, for:-
| a. We should cot large number Of
Socialists to work ransacking their
brains. revising their previous reading,
and plving their pens. "Readlpg max.
eth full man, and writing ah exact
one"-two most necessary qualifications
for the propagandist.
| ~ We should probably add several
valuable works to the library 81 Social
ism.
a. This would be done al q very
cheap price. as the good Socialist prise-
i winner would of course return the
money to the general propsganda, fund.
which would thereby be at last estab.
lished. /,
\ H) We should advertise ourselves
by this action as an intellectual party
| a contamination devoutly to be wished.
! (E) Most Socialists would take the
trouble to read the SIX pris, essays. and
would thus arrive 1t . fairly compre-
Iensive understanding Of the position
of the different parties, and Of the posi-.
bilities Of combination.
| (e) An intelligent conference might
then be held.
Iremain, sir. fraternslly, W.C.O o.
Powderly or Hts High Horss.
NEW YORK, Jan. 13.-Ralph Robb ol
the Montauk district assembly said last